26/11 report not leaked: Govt

The state legislature had to be adjourned on Wednesday afternoon following arguments over the government’s decision to not table the Ram Pradhan committee report.

Sources said that the government may table the report before a committee of 15 legislators.

The opposition stalled the day’s proceedings when the government refused to discuss the report even as Chief Minister Ashok Chavan told the legislative council that the original cop-ies of the report were safe with the government and the copies in circulation had no connection with the classified document.

Home Minister R.R. Patil is expected to make a statement on the authenticity of the ‘leaked’ copies after examining them next week.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Eknath Khadse and his counterpart in the council Pandurang Phundkar moved adjournment motions demanding a discussion on the report. The presiding officers in the both houses refused permission after the government held long meetings with opposition leaders.

“I have already said that publishing the report should not affect the ongoing Mumbai terror attack trial. The government has tabled all the important points of the report and action to be taken report in the House and a detailed discussion was also held,” said Chavan.

The opposition had challenged the state government to prove that it had not leaked copies of the Pradhan Committee report that were used widely by the media to highlight lapses in handling the 26/11 attacks.

“A person came to my house and handed me the report a couple of days ago. He said the deputy chief minister (Chhagan Bhujbal) has sent it,” Bharatiya Janata Party state president Nitin Gadkari said. “I don’t know if this is a political conspiracy to defame one of the allies of the ruling party.”

“The government may be playing safe by not tabling the report,” said Khadse.

The Pradhan report has reportedly pulled up senior bureaucrats and police officers for dereliction of duty during the attacks. It has made several observations on the government’s lethargic functioning especially in handling intelligence alerts and the modernisation of police force.